COSTCO, LET ME LOVE YOU MORE – Beauty for Cheap(er)

18Mar

My fellow savvy shoppers out there know the pain of looking for better deals or waiting for sales. Ebay, Amazon and other online retailers are kind of sketch and require tons of research and review reading. Then there’s online Costco with random little treasures.

The local drug dealer in all things food. And soon to be all things beauty? You’re probably used to thinking of Costco as your source for cheap nutella, toilet paper and kb socks but they now pack some pretty impressive (and prestigious) beauty items. Forget the 20% Sephora Sale for your staples, check out Costco first. I’ll just let the comparison screenshots speak for themselves. Retail Left, Costco Right. As always, click on the pictures to enlarge them.

But seriously, Costco. Add more stuff ples. Let me love you more and throw money your way instead of at Sephora or department stores. These were just the things that caught my eye. The beauty section also includes Chanel, Jane Iredale, more sisley stuff, more brand name products and stuff for hair. But I don’t know anything about hair products so I dind’t bother doing price comparisons. Head and Shoulder for days. These are products that i’ve had my eye on or ones i know to be “cult” products that many people are still interested in and/or repurchase upon finishing.

One of the main drawbacks is that they have a high turnover rate. Once something goes out of stock, it may or may not be restocked.

only available in a multi-pack with Sugared Maple + Blushing Nude + All Heart

38% savings

Clinique Chubby Stick

One stick (0.1 oz.) for $17 = $170/oz.

Three sticks (0.3 oz.) for $35 = 116.67/oz.

only available in a multi-pack with Two Ton Tomato + Super Strawberry + Mighty Mimosa

33% savings (basically buy two get one free)

Dolce & Gabbana Smooth Eye Colour Quad

$61 for 0.16 oz. = $381.25/oz.

$40 for 0.16 oz. = $250/oz.

Only options available are Smokey, Femme Fatale, and Desert

34% savings

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner

1 pot (0.1 oz) any color for $25 = $250/oz.

2 pots (0.2 oz total) for $37 = $185/oz

only available in a multi-pack with Black Ink + Sepia Ink + mini liner brush

26% savings

Skin Care

Eve Lom Cleanser Balm

$135 for 6.8 oz = $19.85/oz

$100 for 6.8 oz = $14.71/oz

26% savings

Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask

$162 for 2.1 oz = $77.14/oz

100 for 2.1 oz = $47.62/oz

38% savings

Philosophy Hope in a Jar Moisturizer

$44 for 2 oz = $22/oz.

$25 for 2 oz = $12.50/oz.

43% savings

Clinique Moisture Surge Intense Hydrator

$38.50 for 1.7 oz = $22.65/oz.

$30 for 1.7 oz = $17.65/oz

22% savings

Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector

$76 for 1.7 oz = $44.71/oz

$60 for 1.7 oz = $35.29/oz

21% savings

Tools

Kevyn Aucoin Concelaer Brush: $21.99 vs $32 = 31% savings

Kevyn Aucoin Soft Buff Powder Brush: $38.99 vs $60 = 35% savings

Clarisonic Mia 3 (Aria) Cleansing System: 149.99 vs 199 = 25% savings

Qualifier: Costco is by no stretch of the imagination a makeup maven’s playground because fancy asses like me lust for bright colors and wacky hues, but it’s got the basics. Part of the trade off with whole sale places is lack of selection. You sacrifice choice for lower prices. Different people prioritize one over the other. Think of the Costco beauty section as a luxe studio apartment: the essential are present and there are some very nice basics. *cough cough eve lom cleanser* The stuff the carry are popular ones that cater to the majority, so my apologies if you are super pale or super dark and i got you excited about the KA Skin Enhancer but they don’t carry your shade. Also, the selection of goods that different, physical Costco locations carry will vary. The one i frequent carries covergirl, loreal mascaras and bourghese beauty in store. If i want to restock on bareminerals powder foundation i have to drive alll the way to another location… which is only 20 minutes away or so.

Yes, the multipacks are a pain sometimes. You might run through several packs for the Super Strawberries and end up with a couple Tons of Tomatoes. It kind of sucks if you’re a repurchaser but you can always gift the other colors or do stuff with them. I remember hating the Wild Cherry that came in the Capri Sun juice multi-packs…. so i would trade at lunchtime with a friend for delicious inarizushi.

Do note: Costco stuff is for members only but there are ways around that :3

4 responses to “COSTCO, LET ME LOVE YOU MORE – Beauty for Cheap(er)”

Julia

February 10, 2016 at 7:58 AM

I am a Costco member and I didn’t realize they carry brands and cosmetics like this. By the time I get near that section I already have too much in my basket and rarely stop to look. After reading this, that will end today.

Good luck and happy hunting, online and in store! My local Costco seems relatively stable and had been carrying sk-II mini sets for a while now . The website selection changes almost every month though, so if your see something, best get it if you can justify it.